Coronavirus (COVID-19)

New research has found no evidence statin use can reduce the risk of severe COVID-19 or death. Countering studies suggesting statins may protect against severe COVID-19, the study indicates statins could slightly increase the risk of serious illness.

A dosing error during AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial unexpectedly led to better results, and now researchers have replicated those accidental findings to show some vaccines may be more effective if the first dose is much lower than the second.

New research published in the journal Nature Neuroscience is the first to demonstrate how the SARS-CoV-2 virus can directly damage cells in the brain, showing vascular cells that comprise the blood-brain barrier can be destroyed by the virus.

Although electroporation technology is very effective at delivering DNA-based vaccines, the required equipment is bulky, complex and expensive. Now, however, scientists have shown that a converted barbecue lighter is capable of doing the job.

An international collaborative effort is investigating whether specific genetic characteristics can make someone resistant to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The goal is to understand why some people seem naturally immune to this new virus.

In a long-awaited decision the FDA has approved "mix and match" COVID-19 vaccine boosters, meaning your third dose does not need to be the same vaccine as your primary course. Boosters are also recommended for all who received the single-dose J&J vaccine.

Building on a growing body of evidence linking viral infections with neurodegenerative disease, a study has shown how molecules on the surfaces of viruses can promote the aggregation of toxic proteins seen with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

A new analysis by the World Health Organization has estimated six in seven COVID-19 cases have gone undetected in Africa. The report indicates the real number of cases could be 60 million and a program to increase testing capacity has been proposed.

New research has used an in-ear sensor to monitor COVID-19 patients at home, transmitting vital signs in real-time to doctors who evaluated the need for hospital treatment, often admitting the patients before they even noticed their condition decline.

Two new studies are building on a hypothesis that multiple sclerosis (MS) can be triggered by viral infections in a person’s teenage years. The research raises concerns the current COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a surge in MS cases in the future.

A Canadian study has measured the virulence of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant compared to earlier strains of the virus. The research found, compared to the original strain, Delta is considerably more deadly and leads to greater numbers of hospitalizations.

A new study led by scientists from University College London proposes a key gene variant, known to heighten one’s risk for Alzheimer’s, stimulates the body’s inflammatory responses and can lead to greater susceptibility to severe COVID-19.